Toy.



D. P. CLARK.

TOY.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1913.

1,087,277. Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

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TOY.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1913.

1,087,277. Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

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H 1k fcl H flmwgamm, LVN/Puma DAVID P. CLARK, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914.-

application tiled July 14, 1918. serial 1V9. 778,8.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DAVID P. CLARK, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Impro ve mentsin-Toys, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying draw- This invention relates to toys and more particularly to wheeled toys of the self propelled type. i

The object of the invention is to provide a toy of this character capable of movement in either direction the movement of which will be automatica y reversed by the jar caused by the toy commg in contact with an obstruction.

A further object is to provide such a toy having frictional driving devices and in which the weight of the motor mechanisin and the motor frame will rest upon the driving mechanism and increase the effectiveness of' the frictional contact; further, to provide a device in which the motor carriage will be bodily movable from one position to another to drive the toy in different directions; further, to so arrange the driving mechanism that when the motor frame is in either position the driving action of the driving mechanism will tend to hold the frame in that position and to maintain the frictional driving connections in their most effective positions.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal, sectional View taken on the line A A of Fig. 3, showing the motor frame and mechanismin elevation; Fig. 2 is a sectional viewtaken on the line B of Fig. 1 showing the motor frame and driving mechanism in plan, Fig. 3 is a transverse, sectional view, taken on the line C C of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and Fig. 4 is an end elevation.

In these drawingsI have illustrated one embodiment of' my' invention and have shown the same as embodied in a toy built to represent an electric locomotive, but it will be understood that the shape of the body of the toy is not a part of the inven tion and may be varied at will. .In this particular form of the toy thebody or housing which incloses the mechanism, as indicated at 1, is entirely separate from and is removably mounted on a main frame in which are. journaled the-wheels and which curries theremovable motor frame and driv ing mechanism. As' here shown the main frame comprises parallel side members 2 connected at their ends by means of transverse end members 3 having 'flanges 4 to which therem'ovable body or housing is secured by means of bolts 5. The main frame is supported by wheels 6 which are here shown as track wheels and both airs of l which constitute, at different times, t e driv- Qing wheels. Each pair of these wheels is rigidly secured to an axle 7 which is journaled in the main frame. Preferably, each axle is mounted in a vertical slot 8, the length of which is sufficient to permit the frame to have a slight movement relatively to the axle. Y

In the present type of toy the power is derived from an inertia wheel 9 which is 'rigidly secured to a shaft 10 journaled at one end in one of the side members of a -motor-supporting frame 11 and at the other end in an intermediate frame member 12 rigidly secured to and forminga partof said motor-supporting frame. The inertia ,wheel shaft 10 has secured thereto pinions 13 which mesh With gears 14, which, in turn, .mesh with ears 15. Both the gears 14 and 15 are rigi ly connected with driving pinions 16 and '17, respectively, which are adapted .to engage the peripheries of the respective driving wheels. These pinions are here shown as friction pinions having tapered grooves, but any suitable type of pinion may be employed. It will be noted that the connection between the inertia wheel shaft and the driving pinion 16 is a direct connection, that is, the pinion 13 meshes directly with the gear 1 1 of the driving pinion 16, while the connection of the inertia wheel shaft with the driving pinion 17 is through an intermediate gear, the gear 1 1 of the/pinion '16 acting as such intermediate gear. Consequently, the rotation of the inertia wheel shaft in one direction will serve to rotate the driving wheels in opposite directions.

arrangement of the pinions the same on both sides of the toy, that is, there is a pinion 16 on each side of the toy and a pinion 17 on each side of the toy. In this manner I secure a driving action on both driving wheels of each pair, but it will be understood that this is not essential to an embodiment of the invention.

As stated, the driving pinions 16 and 17 I have herein shown the are adapted to operatively engage the driving wheels of the respective ends of the main frame. To this end the motor supporting frame is mounted so that it is capable of'bodily movement, which movement will serve to carry the driving pinions toward or away from their respective wheels 6. As shown in the drawings the motor supporting frame occupies an intermediate position and none of the driving members is in operative engagement with its wheel. In this particular embodiment of the toy I have shown the motor-supporting frame as having a sliding movement upon the main frame and to this end the two side members of the main frame are provided with longitudinal slots 18 to receive guides or studs 19 projecting from the sides of the motor supporting frame. The studs are so arranged that they will engage the ends of the slots when the driv ng pinionsh-ave assumed their proper relatlve positions with relation to their respective driving wheels, and in this connection it will be noted that the direction of rotation of the driving pinions is always opposite the direction in which the toy is moving, and inasmuch as these pinions operate upon the rear wheels the direction of rotation of the pinions is such that they tend to move the motor-supporting frame rearwardly and thus maintain themselves in the proper relation to their wheels.

In order to secure the proper driving contact between the friction pinions and the wheels it is desirable that they should be so arranged that when in operative engagement with their respective wheels they will support a very considerable portion of the weight of the motor-supporting frame and driving mechanism and, if desired, a portion of the weight of the main frame. By

' making the grooves 18 of a width slightly greater than the diameter of the studs 19 and mounting the pinions so that their lower edges will extend slightly below the upper edges of the wheels these pinions, when moved toward their respective driving wheels, will engage the upper edges of those wheels and lift the studs of the motor-supporting frame off the lower edge of the slots, thus transferring the weight from the studs to the pinions. However, in the present form of the toy I utilize not only the weight of the motor-supporting frame and the parts carried thereby, but also a portion of the weight of the main frame. I have, therefore, allowed for no material movement of the studs vertically in the slots but have mounted the axles in slots in the main frame. Consequently, when the motor-supporting frame is moved toward one end of the mainframe the pinions will engage the upper portions of the wheelsand as they ride over the same will move the studs of the motorsupporting frame into contact with the up- Leaner? per edges of the slots in the main frame and will lift that end of the main frame, thus transferring the weight thereof, as well as the weight of a large portion of the motorsupporting frame, to the pinions. The motor-supporting frame slides very freely upon the main frame and if the toy, when moving in one direction, comes in contact with an obstruction the jar will be sufficient to impart a sliding movement to the motor-supporting frame and thus move the driving pinions out of engagement with the rear wheels and cause the other pair of driving pinions to come in engagement with the front wheels, thereby reversing the movement of the toy and causing that pair of driving wheels which had been the front wheels to become the rear wheels. In the practical embodiment of the toy it can be reversed in this manner several times and without reversing will travel for long distances.

- The power may be generated in the inertia wheel in the manner common to inertia wheel toys, that is, by moving the driving pinions into contact with one pair of driving wheels, pressing down on the frame of the toy and moving the same over the floor, thus rotating the inertia wheel. When suflicient speed has been attained the toy may be released and the inertia wheel will then impart a forward movement to the toy. To retain the driving pinions in proper engagement with their driving wheels during this starting movement of the toy I have mounted on the top of the motor-supporting frame a stop 20 which cotiperates with a movable toy, however, I have provided means for imparting movement to the inertia wheel by means of a crank and to this end I have mounted in the motor-supporting frame a shaft 25 having thereon a pinion 26 connected by a suitable train of gearing 27 with the gear 14 which meshes withthe inertia wheel shaft 10. Thus, by means of a crank applied to the shaft 25 rotatory movement may be imparted to the inertia. wheel. The stop 20 on the motor-supporting frame has a central notch 28 to receive the detent 21 and retain the motor-supporting frame in its central posit-ion during the operation of the winding mechanism.

WVhile I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention it will be understood thatthis has been chosen for the purposes of illustration only and that I do not desire to be'limited to the details of connosaaw cure by Letters Patent, is

I. In a toy, the combination, with a main frame having two driving wheels arranged one in advance of the .other, of a motorsupporting frame mounted on said main frame and having bodily movement relatively thereto, a motor carried by said motor-supporting frame, two driving pinions carried by said motor-supporting frame adapted to engage the respective driving Wheels on said main frame, and means for connecting said driving pinions with said motor to cause them to rotate in opposite directions, whereb when in engagement with their respective driving wheels they will propel said toy inopposite directions.

2. In a toy, the combination, with a main 'frame having two driving wheels arranged one in advance of the other, of a motor-- supporting frame, a motor carried thereby, two driving pinions carried by said frame, and a connection between said driving pin" ions and said motor to cause said pinions to rotate in opposite directions, said motorsupporting frame having free bodily movement upon said main frame to cause said driving pinions to alternately engage the respective driving wheels. 7

3. In a toy, the combination, with a main frame having two driving wheels arranged one in advance of the other, of a motor-supporting frame slidably mounted on said main frame, a motor mounted on said frame, two driving pinions carried by said frame, and connections between said pinions and said motor to cause the pinions to rotate in opposite directions, said pinions being arranged to alternately engage said driving wheels. I

4:. In a toy, the combination, with a main frame having two driving wheels arranged one in advance of the other, of a motorsupporting frame slidably mounted on said main frame, a motor mounted on said frame, two driving pinions carried by said frame, and connections between said pinions and said motor to cause the pinions to rotate in opposite directions, said pinions being held against vertical movement relatively to said motor-supporting frame and said motor-supporting frame being capable of vertical movement relatively to said driving wheels, whereby when one of said pinions is moved into engagement with its driving wheel, the weight of said motor-supporting frame will rest upon said pinion.

5. In a toy, the combination, with a main frame having two driving wheels arranged one in advance of the other, of a motor-supporting frame slidably mounted on said main frame, an inertia wheel carried by said motor-supportingframe, driving pinions mounted on said motor-supporting frame and adapted to alternately engage said driving wheels, and gearing connecting said pinions with said inertia wheel tocau'se said pinions to be rotated in opposite directions by the rotation of said wheel in' a single direction.

6. In a toy, the combination, with ground wheels, and a main frame carried by said wheels and capable of vertical movement relatively thereto, of amotor-supporting frame slidably mounted 011 said main frame and connected thereto to cause it to move vertically with said main frame, a motor carried by said motor-supporting frame, driving pinions carried by said motor-supporting frame and arranged to alternately engage the respective driving wheels, said driving pinions being so arranged that when one of them is brought into operative en gagement with its wheel vertical movement will be imparted to said motor-supporting frame and said main frame to cause a por tion of the weight of said frames to be supported by said pinion.

7. In a toy, the combination, with a driving Wheel and a main frame mounted thereon, of a motor-supporting frame slidably mounted on said main frame and capable of vertical movement relatively thereto, a motor carried by. said motor-supporting frame, a pinion carried by said motor-supporting frame, connected with said motor and so arranged when brought into operative engagement with said driving wheel to impart ver-' tical movement to said motor-supporting frame.

8. In a toy, the combination, with .a driving wheel, and a main frame mounted on said wheel and capable of vertical movement relatively thereto, of a mo-tor-supp orting frame slidably' mounted on said main frame and connected thereto for vertical movement in unison therewith, a motor carried by said motor-supporting frame, a driving pinion carried by said motor-supporting frame, connected with said motor, movable into and out of operative engagement with 115 said driving wheel by the sliding movement of said motor-supporting frame and arranged to impart vertical movement to said motor-supporting frame and said main frame when moved into operative engage- 120 ment with said driving wheel.

9. In a toy, the combination, with a driving wheel and a main frame mounted thereon, of a motor-supporting frame slidably' mounted on said main frame and capable of 125 vertical movement relatively thereto, a motor carried by said motor-supporting frame,

a pinion carried by said motor-supporting frame, connected with said motor and arranged when brought into operative engage- 130 ment with said driving Wheel to impart vertical movement to said motorsupporting frame, and means to hold said pinion in engagement with said driving Wheel.

10. In a toy, the combination, with a driving wheel and a main frame mounted thereon, of a' motor-supporting frame slidably mounted on said main frame and capable of vertical movement relatively thereto, an inertia wheel carried by said motor-supporting frame, a pinion carried by said motorsupporting frame, connected with said inertia wheel and arranged when brought into operative engagement with said driving wheel to impart vertical movement to said motor-supporting frame, and means to hold said pinion in engagement with said driving wheel, and manually operated means for rotating said inertia wheel.

11. In a toy, the combination, with a driving wheel and a main frame mounted there on, of a motor-supporting frame slidably mounted on said main frame andcapable of vertical movement relatively thereto, an inertia wheel carried by said motorsupporting frame, a pinion carried by said motorsupporting frame, connected with said inertia wheel and arranged when brought into operative engagement with said driving wheel to impart vertical movement to said motor-supporting frame means to hold said pinion in engagement with said driving wheel, manually operated means for rotating said inertia wheel, and means for holding said pinion out of engagement with said driving wheel while said means is being actuated.

12. In a toy, the combination, with driving wheels arranged to drive said toy in opposite directions, a main frame mounted on said driving wheels and comprising side members having longitudinal slots therein, of a motorsupporting frame having guides mounted in said slots 1n said main frame and free to move therein, of a motor carried by said motor-supporting frame, driving pinions carried by said motor-supporting frame, connected with said motor to rotate in opposite directions and arranged to be moved into engagement with the respective driving wheels and to receive a portion of the weight of said motor-supporting frame when moved into operative engagement with said respective driving wheels.

13. In a toy, the combination, with driving wheels arranged to drive said toy in opposite directions, a main frame mounted on said driving wheels and comprising side members having longitudinal slots therein, of a motor-supporting frame having guides mounted in slots in said main frame and free to move therein, of a motor carried by said motor-supporting frame, driving pinions carried by said motor-supporting frame, connected with said motor to rotate in opposite directions and arranged to be moved into engagement with the respective driving wheels and to receive a portion of the weight of said motor-supporting frame when moved into operativeengagement with said respective driving wheels, manually operated means for actuating said motor, and means to hold both of said driving inions out of engagement with their whee ie While said manually actuated means is being operated.

14. Ina toy, the combination, with driving wheels arranged to drive said toy in opposite directions, a main frame mounted on said driving wheels and comprising side members having longitudinal slots therein, of a motor-supporting frame having guides mounted in the slots in said main frame and free to move therein, an inertia wheel carried by said motor-supporting frame, driving pinion carried by said motor-supporting frame, connected with said inertia wheel to rotate in opposite directions and arranged to be moved into engagement with the respective drivin wheels and to receive a portion of the weight of said motor-supporting frame when moved into operative engagement with said respective driving wheels, and means to hold either of said driving pinions in engagement with its driving wheel to permit movement to be imparted to said inertia wheel by moving sald driving wheel over the floor.

15. In a toy, the combination, with ground wheels arranged one in front of the other, a main frame mounted on said ground wheels and capable of vertical movement relatively thereto, said main frame comprising side members having longitudinal slots therein, of a motor-supportin frame having guides extending into and freely movable in said slots, an inertia wheel carried by said motor-supporting frame, driving pinions carried by said motorsupporting frame, connections between said driving pinions and said inertia wheel to cause said driving pinions to rotate in opposite directions, said driving pinions being arranged to be alternately moved into engagement with the re-.' spective driving wheels and having their axes arranged'above the plane of the upper edges of said driving wheels a distance less than the radius of said driving pinions,

whereby, when one of said pinions is moved driving-wheels, said motor-supporting frame wheel and thereby reverse the, movement of being mounted for free movement, whereby, said toy. when said toy is moving in one direction the In testimony. whereof, I affix my signaj ar occasioned by its contact with an obstructure inv presence of two witnesses.

tion will impart movement to said motor- DAVID P. CLARK,

supporting frame and disconnect one of said Witnesses:

V pinions from its driving wheel and connect F. W. SCHAFER,

th other of said pinions with its driving HARRIET L.YHAMMAKER. 

